Words and art

By Alex Kasel

gender-nonconforming (USA Today/Vice). Why is that? Society teaches men that anger is the only valid form of emotional expression while at the same time discouraging non-men from expressing their anger (if they do, they risk being dismissed or villainized). A study from Southwest Missouri State University, however, showed that non-men are as angry and act on their anger as often as men. They also found that men did not know how to proceed when made to suppress their anger, while nonmen were more able to control immediate responses to anger. So though rage rooms might be enabling for those inclined towards violence (statistically: men), they could be a safe way for non-men to express themselves in a way they have never been free to experience.

Ultimately, a visit to a rage room may offer brief relief but it won’t solve your deep-seeded rage. Anger is a natural response to situations in the world around us and we aren’t taught how to express our anger in healthy ways, the underlying causes of anger or that it can be a catalyst for positive change. Often a facade for deeper emotions including inadequacy, determination, exhaustion, fear and loss, anger is complicated. Dealing with these feelings can call for mental and written reflection, adjustment of thought patterns, open communication, plans of action and most importantly, time. This kind of change takes practice and is never “finished.”